Month: August 2026

What Happens Week By Week In My Pregnancy?

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One of the questions I’m asked most often - usually at the very first appointment - is simply: what happens next? Pregnancy comes with a long list of scans, tests and check-ups, and it can be hard to keep track of what’s coming and why. So here is the timeline I follow with the women in my care, week by week, from your first early scan right through to your postnatal checks.

Before we begin, one thing to bear in mind: this is a guide, not a fixed schedule. Every pregnancy is different, and I tailor your care to you and your baby at every stage. If your pregnancy is higher-risk, I will see you and scan you more often.

Your pregnancy timeline at a glance

Weeks Stage What happens
6–9 First trimester Early pregnancy scan; repeat scan at 7/8/9 weeks if needed
10+ First trimester Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)
12–13 First trimester Nuchal translucency scan; antenatal booking blood tests
16–17 Second trimester Early anomaly/anatomy scan
19–21 Second trimester Detailed anomaly/anatomy scan
23–24 Second trimester Growth scan with uterine artery Dopplers
26–28 Second trimester Growth scan; glucose tolerance test; Anti-D if needed; whooping cough vaccine; Portland midwife booking
29–32 Third trimester Growth scan; birth plan discussion
33–34 Third trimester Growth scan; RSV vaccine
35–36 Third trimester Growth scan; Group B Strep screening if planning a vaginal birth
37–40 Third trimester Growth scans and maternal wellbeing checks
Around 39 Delivery Planned caesarean section, in uncomplicated pregnancy, if applicable
39–41+ Delivery Induction of labour, if required
Postnatal After birth Check-ups at 2 weeks and 6 weeks

And whatever stage you are at, every appointment includes a blood pressure check and a urine dipstick test. They take moments, and they help pick up early signs of conditions such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes long before they cause trouble.

The first trimester: weeks 6 to 14

6–9 weeks: your early pregnancy scan

Your care with me usually begins with an early pregnancy scan from six weeks. From around 6+ weeks, your baby’s heartbeat can be detected on the scan - and in my experience, that little flicker on the screen is the moment everything suddenly feels real. I may arrange a repeat scan at 7–9 weeks to confirm that your pregnancy is progressing as it should.

 

10 weeks onwards: non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)

From 10 weeks, you can have non-invasive prenatal testing, or NIPT - a combination of an ultrasound scan and a simple blood test taken from your arm. By this stage, fragments of your baby’s DNA are circulating in your blood, which means we can screen for the most common trisomies: Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome and Patau’s syndrome. The test will also report your baby’s sex - but only if you choose to know. Some parents can’t wait; others prefer the surprise. Both are entirely the right answer.

 

12–13 weeks: the nuchal translucency scan and your booking bloods

The nuchal translucency scan is your baby’s very first anatomy scan. I measure the thickness of the nuchal fold - a pocket of fluid at the nape of your baby’s neck - which helps assess the risk of Down’s syndrome.

This is also the time when I order your antenatal booking blood tests. These check important markers such as your blood group, iron, thyroid function and vitamin D; confirm your immunity to childhood diseases such as measles and chickenpox; and screen for infections including hepatitis and HIV.

By around week 13, something rather wonderful has already happened: your baby’s fingerprints have started to form, during just the third month in the womb.

The second trimester: weeks 14 to 27

16–17 weeks: your early anomaly scan

At 16–17 weeks I carry out an early anomaly (anatomy) scan, where I start to observe and track your baby’s anatomical development in detail. It’s an extra layer of monitoring I like to build in well before the routine anomaly scan.

Around now, your baby’s hair follicles have started developing - and you may begin to notice ‘flutters’, those very first faint sensations of your baby moving.

 

19–21 weeks: the anomaly scan

The detailed anomaly scan takes place between 19 and 21 weeks. This is a thorough assessment of your baby’s developing anatomy - and by now, your little one has recognisable eyes and eyebrows.

 

23–24 weeks: your first growth scan, with uterine artery Dopplers

Regular growth scans begin at 23–24 weeks. A growth scan monitors your baby’s weight and measurements, and when I repeat them regularly they also show me the rate of growth - a valuable early indicator of fetal or maternal complications. At this appointment I also perform uterine artery Dopplers, which measure the flow of blood from you to your baby.

If your thyroid function was previously impaired, I’ll repeat your thyroid screening at this stage.

From around 22 weeks you can feel your baby’s kicks properly - traditionally known as ‘the quickening’, and one of the great milestones of any pregnancy.

 

26–28 weeks: glucose testing, Anti-D and the whooping cough vaccine

This is one of the busier stretches of your timeline. At 26–28 weeks you will have:

  • A repeat growth scan.
  • A glucose tolerance test (GTT) or random glucose test, screening for gestational diabetes.
  • Repeat screening for anaemia and antibodies.
  • Anti-D immunoglobulin, if you and your baby do not share the same Rhesus factor - that’s the presence, or absence, of a particular red blood cell protein.
  • An invitation from The Portland midwives for your ‘booking’ appointment.

You can also protect your baby from whooping cough by having the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine at 28 weeks. It’s available at The Portland Hospital - simply ask me and I can administer it (The Portland will invoice you directly for the vaccine).

Meanwhile, around 26 to 28 weeks your baby’s lungs begin producing significant amounts of a crucial substance called surfactant, which helps keep the tiny air sacs in the lungs open - quietly preparing for that first breath.

The third trimester: week 27 to birth

29–32 weeks: your growth scan and birth plan

Alongside a repeat growth scan, this is when we sit down together to discuss your birth plan, if you haven’t yet developed one - your preferences for labour, pain relief and delivery, and anything specific to your pregnancy that we should plan around. There are no silly questions here; this conversation is yours.

33–34 weeks: your growth scan and the RSV vaccine

As well as a repeat growth scan, you can protect your baby from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by having the RSV vaccine at 34 weeks. Like the whooping cough vaccine, it’s available at The Portland Hospital - just ask me and I can administer it, with The Portland invoicing you directly.

If your thyroid function was previously impaired, I’ll arrange a further round of thyroid screening.

 

35–36 weeks: Group B Strep screening

At 35–36 weeks you’ll have another growth scan, and if you are planning a vaginal delivery, you will screen for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) - a common bacterium that’s harmless to adults but can occasionally affect newborns, which is exactly why we check for it before the birth.

By 36 weeks, your baby’s lungs are fully formed and ready to breathe on their own. Your little one is, quite literally, ready for the world.

 

37–40 weeks: the final stretch

In these last weeks I’ll continue with repeat growth scans and maternal wellbeing checks, keeping a close eye on you both as the big day approaches.

 

Around 39 weeks: a planned caesarean section

If you are having a caesarean section - whether by choice or due to medical necessity - delivery usually happens around 39 weeks’ gestation. We’ll have planned this together well in advance, so by the time the day arrives, you’ll know exactly what to expect.

 

39–41+ weeks: induction of labour

If labour hasn’t started on its own and induction is required, this typically takes place between 39 and 41+ weeks. I’ll talk you through the timing and the approach based on your circumstances - it’s always a decision we make together.

What happens after the birth?

My care doesn’t end the moment your baby arrives. I carry out an early postnatal check at 2 weeks, and a further check at 6 weeks - making sure you are recovering well, and answering all of those questions that only seem to occur to you at three o’clock in the morning.

Beginning your pregnancy journey with me

I’m delighted that you’re considering being under my care. I consult at The Portland Hospital Consulting Suite at 212 Great Portland Street, Ovara Health in Chelsea and 132 Harley Street, with deliveries at The Portland Hospital on Great Portland Street.

If you’d like to book an appointment or ask a question about your care, my secretary Colette will be happy to help - you can reach her through the contact page or book your appointment online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your first scan with me is an early pregnancy scan from 6 weeks, when your baby’s heartbeat can first be detected. I may repeat the scan at 7–9 weeks to confirm the pregnancy is progressing well.

From 10 weeks, non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) can report your baby’s sex - but only if you choose to know - alongside screening for the most common trisomies.

The detailed anomaly scan takes place between 19 and 21 weeks. Under my care you’ll also have an early anomaly scan at 16–17 weeks - an extra layer of monitoring beyond the routine schedule.

Regular growth scans begin at 23-24 weeks and are repeated at 26-28, 29-32, 33-34 and 35-36 weeks, with further scans and wellbeing checks from 37 weeks until your baby arrives.

I offer the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine at 28 weeks and the RSV vaccine at 34 weeks. Both are available at The Portland Hospital - simply ask me and I can administer them, with The Portland invoicing you directly.

Delivery by caesarean section, whether by choice or due to medical necessity, usually happens around 39 weeks’ gestation.

I carry out an early postnatal check at 2 weeks after the birth, and a further check at 6 weeks.

Every appointment, at every stage of pregnancy, includes a blood pressure check and a urine dipstick test - quick, routine checks that help identify early signs of complications such as pre- eclampsia and gestational diabetes.

Private Maternity Care Costs: What You’ll Really Pay In 2026

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These days, prospective parents are increasingly choosing private maternity care over NHS care, and perhaps you are too.

Patients put a high value on receiving personalised care from a leading consultant obstetrician, but it is important to understand the costs involved and as such, this transparent guide allows for informed decision-making.

The main point to understand when considering the costs of private care is that there are two, or (in the case of an elective caesarean section) three, providers: The obstetrician and the hospital, and perhaps an anaesthetist too.

Dr Duncan’s fees cover personalised care, including regular consultations, checks and scans in clinic, your delivery by him, postnatal care until 6 weeks, and direct access to Dr Duncan 24/7 for any niggling concerns or emergencies.

Dr Duncan has a reputation for personal warmth and professional expertise, and many patients are devoted returnees. He has safely delivered more than 4,000 babies in a careering spanning 30 years (so far!). He now delivers exclusively at The Portland Hospital, the UK’s only private-only hospital dedicated entirely to the care of women and children.

The confidence and peace of mind you will enjoy from choosing Dr Duncan as your obstetrician will be enhanced by the superb luxury facilities of this state-of-the-art hospital.

 

Fixed Price Maternity Care Packages

Most expectant parents prefer a fixed price maternity care package which in Dr Duncan’s case include all antenatal consultations with scans (every 2, 3 or 4 weeks, depending on where you are in your pregnancy, and clinical need), delivery (either vaginal or C-section), postnatal consultations as required, and direct access to Dr Duncan.

His fixed price care packages are based on your care start date:

Care Start Date Price Included Extras
From 6 weeks £12,500 6-7w Fetal heartbeat scan

8w Viability scan

10w Illumina Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)

12w Nuchal scan

16w Early Anomaly scan

20w Anomaly scan
From 12 weeks £12,000 12w Nuchal scan

16w Early Anomaly scan

20w Anomaly scan
From 20 weeks £11,000 20w Anomaly scan
From 30 weeks £10,000 –
From 35 weeks £9,000 –
C-section only £9,000 Antenatal consultations and growth scans at 28w, 34w and 37/38w, and caesarean delivery

A unique feature of Dr Duncan's consultant fee structure is that twin pregnancies are charged at the same rate as singleton pregnancies, however additional fees may be levied by other providers. Please get in touch with the practice to discuss this in more detail.

 

‘Pay As You Go’ Fees

Individual consultations are typically priced as follows:

Consultation Price
Early Pregnancy Consultation & Scan (from 6 weeks) £350
Obstetric Consultation & Scan (from 16 weeks) £500
NIPT Testing — Illumina and Panorama - includes consultation, scan and blood test (from 10 weeks) £500
Online Consultation for UK and worldwide patients £300

The pay-as-you-go fee structure suits patients who choose to have ‘top-up’ consultations with Dr Duncan but who are essentially following an NHS pathway towards NHS delivery, or patients who require complete antenatal care with Dr Duncan but have plans to deliver elsewhere/abroad.

If you require 24/7 direct access to Dr Duncan for the duration of your antenatal care with him, but are not booked on a delivery package, then a fee of £250/month will be levied for this access.

He offers an initial complementary ‘Meet & Greet’ appointment to provide a no-obligation opportunity for friendly discussion, and better understanding of what you can expect should you choose to have you baby with him.

 

Hospital Fees

Hospital fees cover the cost of your admission for delivery, the medical facilities of the labour ward or surgical theatre during birth, and your postnatal in-patient stay.

Private obstetricians usually operate from a standalone private hospital, or from a private wing within an NHS hospital. Dr Duncan’s chosen hospital, The Portland Hospital in London, is the only fully private maternity hospital in the UK. The Portland places great emphasis on safety and choice, as well as providing a bespoke service to ensure you and your partner are looked after throughout your stay. It has state-of-the-art facilities, and is fully equipped with a paediatric intensive care unit.

The Portland Hospital fees for consultant led delivery are based on mode of delivery.

For 2026, a normal delivery is priced at £8,910, an emergency caesarean section at £10,410, and an elective (planned) caesarean section at £10,215. These are hospital charges only. Dr Duncan’s consultant fees, as set out above, are separate and are paid directly to him.

 

What the hospital package covers

The hospital fee covers your pre-admission midwife booking appointment and routine blood tests, your 24-hour admission for delivery, and the routine aftercare you will receive during your stay.

It also includes Baby’s examination by a consultant paediatrician after birth, and nursery care. If a baby unexpectedly needs neonatal intensive care, the first three nights in NICU are also included.

Partners are accommodated free of charge in the patient’s room hospital and receive complimentary breakfast and dinner, and there is 24-hour room service for the new mum, with afternoon tea served daily throughout the stay. Every mother is given a complimentary hospital gift on discharge, and has access to The Portland Hospital education app.

 

The differences between the three packages

There are only two differences between the three delivery packages offered by The Portland, the first being theatre fees. These do not arise for a normal delivery, and are covered in full within both the emergency and the elective caesarean section packages.

The second is the resident obstetric anaesthetist. This is included in the normal delivery and emergency caesarean section packages, but not in the elective caesarean section package. For a planned caesarean, the consultant anaesthetist’s fee is paid directly to the anaesthetist and sits outside the hospital package.

Every other element listed above is identical across all three packages.

 

Deposits

The Portland Hospital collect a deposit 12 weeks ahead of the estimated delivery date: £10,000 for a normal delivery, £11,500 for a caesarean section, and £20,000 for non-EU patients. A final invoice is calculated once the patient has been discharged, and any difference is either refunded or requested. Patients remain liable for any costs incurred that fall outside the package. All patients are also asked to provide a debit or credit card at registration, either over the telephone or on attendance. Those details are held securely for up to three months, and the hospital gives notice before taking any payment from the card.

 

Additional charges

A number of items sit outside the delivery package price at The Portland. For mothers who wish to stay longer after giving birth, additional nights are charged at £1,250 for a standard room, £1,850 for a deluxe room, £2,250 for a suite and £3,340 for a premier suite. Every booked patient is guaranteed a standard room on admission; upgrades depend on availability.

An epidural, if one is needed, is £995, with a further £85 for each top-up, and covers the anaesthetist and the relevant drugs for a normal delivery or an emergency caesarean section. An instrumental delivery using ventouse or forceps adds £500, and an induction adds £635. A multiple pregnancy carries an additional charge of £500 on the hospital package, but note that Dr Duncan does not charge extra as a consultant for multiple pregnancy packages.

In-patient investigations such as bloods, swabs, cultures, should they be deemed necessary, are charged in addition.

With regards specialist neonatal care, for self-funding patients, should their baby require an unexpected admission to neonatal intensive care, the first three nights are included in the package fee. Thereafter a daily fee will be applied. Readmissions are also chargeable.

Similarly, any antenatal or postnatal care received at the hospital that falls outside the self-pay maternity package is charged separately.

 

Patients with private medical insurance

Insured patients are billed differently, so it is important to speak to Colette, Dr Duncan’s secretary in advance. Coverage, authorisation and billing arrangements vary by policy; insured patients’ insurers are billed in arrears after each antenatal consultation, and after delivery. The patient is responsible for ensuring appropriate authorisation from the insurer is in place. To enable direct billing, Dr Duncan and The Portland need the insurance details as well as a letter from the insurer confirming cover. It is advisable to confirm a newborn baby’s post-delivery insurance cover prior to the delivery date: if a baby is admitted to NICU the hospital will contact your insurer, and invoice the insurer directly, provided there is provision for newborn care within the member’s policy.

 

The Portland Hospital Loyalty Discount

Mothers who have previously delivered at The Portland Hospital receive a 10% discount, and the same discount is offered to patients or partners who themselves were born there. The discount applies to the hospital package fee, and it reduces the hospital’s package prices and the cost of additional nights only, and is calculated at discharge. It does not apply to Dr Duncan’s professional fees.

 

In Conclusion: Three Worked Examples

Because the consultant and the hospital bill separately, it is easy to look at either figure in isolation and underestimate the whole. The table below brings the two together. Each scenario assumes Dr Duncan’s fixed price package from 6 weeks, the most comprehensive of his options, and delivery at The Portland Hospital in a standard room with no additional nights.

  Normal delivery Elective C-section Emergency C-section
Dr Duncan’s package (from 6 weeks) £12,500 £12,500 £12,500
The Portland Hospital delivery package £8,910 £10,215 £10,410
Anaesthetist Epidural £995 £1,500 N/A
Indicative total £22,405 £24,215 £22,910

Two points are worth making about these three scenarios. The first is that an emergency caesarean section is not something anyone books. It is what a planned vaginal delivery becomes if labour takes an unexpected turn, or if an elective-caesarean-booked patient unexpectedly needs an emergency delivery, so that column is best read as the upper end of the normal delivery figure rather than as a third option to choose between.

These totals are not a ceiling, clinical need may add epidural top-ups at £85, an induction at £635 or an instrumental delivery at £500, and any investigations, scans or blood tests taken outside the two packages are charged as they arise. Additional nights begin at £1,250 for mothers who wish to stay a little longer. In the other direction, a mother who has delivered at The Portland before, or who was born there herself, receives 10% off the hospital package. That discount reduces the hospital’s fee alone and leaves Dr Duncan’s untouched, so in the normal delivery scenario it takes the hospital package from £8,910 to £8,019 and the total to £20,519. Insured patients are billed on an itemised basis instead, so neither the package prices nor the loyalty discount apply.

Taken as a whole, a complete pathway of consultant-led private maternity care, from 6 weeks through to the six-week postnatal check, comes to a little over £22,000 for a normal delivery and a little over £24,000 for a caesarean section, before any extras. It is a considered investment, and one that buys continuity of care from a single consultant who knows the mother and her pregnancy, in a hospital equipped for whatever the day of delivery brings.

Dr Duncan’s complimentary ‘Meet & Greet’ appointment is the natural place to start for anyone who would like to talk this through. There is no obligation, and it offers a much clearer picture of both the care and the cost.

Contact us today to book your appointment or book online.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Taken as a whole, a complete pathway of consultant-led private maternity care - from 6 weeks through to the six-week postnatal check - comes to a little over £22,000 for a normal delivery and a little over £24,000 for an elective caesarean section, before any extras. The indicative totals combine Dr Duncan's fixed price package (£12,500 from 6 weeks) with The Portland Hospital's delivery package and, where applicable, the anaesthetist.

Dr Duncan's fees cover personalised care including regular consultations, checks and scans in clinic, your delivery by him (whether vaginal or C-section), postnatal care until 6 weeks, and direct 24/7 access to him for any concerns or emergencies. His fixed price packages are based on your care start date, ranging from £12,500 from 6 weeks down to £9,000 from 35 weeks or for a C-section only. These fees are separate from the hospital's charges and are paid directly to him.

When considering private care, there are two providers, and in the case of an elective caesarean section, three: the obstetrician and the hospital, and sometimes an anaesthetist too. Dr Duncan's consultant fees and The Portland Hospital's delivery fees are billed separately. For a planned caesarean, the consultant anaesthetist's fee sits outside the hospital package and is paid directly to the anaesthetist, whereas the anaesthetist is included in the normal delivery and emergency caesarean packages.

For 2026, the Portland Hospital's consultant-led delivery fees are £8,910 for a normal delivery, £10,215 for an elective caesarean and £10,410 for an emergency caesarean. The package covers your pre-admission midwife booking appointment and routine blood tests, your 24-hour admission for delivery, routine aftercare during your stay, baby's examination by a consultant paediatrician, nursery care, and the first three nights of NICU if unexpectedly needed. Partners stay free in the room with complimentary breakfast and dinner, and mothers receive 24-hour room service, daily afternoon tea, a gift on discharge and access to the hospital education app.

A number of items sit outside the Portland's delivery package. Additional nights start at £1,250 for a standard room, rising to £3,340 for a premier suite. An epidural is £995 with £85 per top-up, an instrumental delivery using ventouse or forceps adds £500, and an induction adds £635. A multiple pregnancy carries an extra £500 on the hospital package, though Dr Duncan does not charge extra as a consultant for multiples. In-patient investigations such as bloods, swabs and cultures are charged in addition, as is NICU care beyond the first three included nights.

Yes. Mothers who have previously delivered at The Portland Hospital receive a 10% discount, and the same applies to patients or partners who were themselves born there. The discount reduces the hospital package fee and the cost of additional nights only, and is calculated at discharge. It does not apply to Dr Duncan's professional fees.